VisionQuest Biomedical and the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Science Center have formed a team to implement and demonstrate a thermal-optical imaging system for detecting and quantifying neuronal and microvascular dysfunction associated with peripheral neuropathy. This team will develop and test the Microvascular1Functional Imaging System (MFIS), a device that can be easily adopted for both a clinical environment and a tele-screening setting. Diabetes afflicts an estimated 171 million people worldwide, including more than 24 million Americans. Diabetic patients are at risk for a wide array of complications including heart disease, kidney disease (nephropathy), ocular diseases (diabetic retinopathy), and peripheral neuropathy (diabetic foot). Two million diabetics will develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime. Foot ulcers are the main cause, 85 percent, of lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetes. Our MFIS device is aimed to show that differences in the functional signals will reveal pre- clinical indications of peripheral neuropathy. There are three specific aims to be accomplished in Phase I. The first aim is to integrate, calibrate and test the MFIS device. The second aim is to use the MFIS to conduct a clinical study using subjects to be recruited at the University of New Mexico Endocrinology Clinic. In the third aim we will use advanced signal and image processing techniques, such as Independent Component Analysis (ICA), to extract low-level signals resulting from the functional response captured in thermal and spectral videos. Our commercialization strategy is to create two commercial instruments: One based in thermal imaging that can be used in a clinical setting for diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, and a second low-cost device based on spectral imaging for screening purposes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Peripheral neuropathy (diabetic foot) is a complication arising from diabetes that causes 82,000 lower extremity amputations in diabetic patients. Fifteen percent of diabetics will undergo amputation sometime in their lives. In this project, we will develop and test the Microvascular Functional Imaging System (MFIS), a thermal-optical imaging system for detecting and quantifying neuronal and microvascular dysfunction associated with peripheral neuropathy.